Café Inquiry (Online) – Prescription Drug Advertising

This event is held online. (Click the button to join the Zoom meeting.)

The Prescription Drug Marketing Act of 1987 authorized direct-to-consumer prescription drug ads for the first time. President Ronald Reagan signed this legislation into law on April 22, 1988. Since then, prescription drug ads have proliferated in all sorts of media. But is this a good thing, or a not-so-good thing? It may be telling that only the United States and New Zealand allow such advertising. This Consumer Reports article looks at the increase in prescription drug ad spending and gives strategies for responding to these commercials.  This brief piece gives some insight as to how European countries regulate prescription advertising. This article from Northwestern University looks at some of the potential benefits of direct-to-consumer prescription drug advertising. This USA Today article makes the case that the prescription drugs you see advertised are often not as useful or effective as the drugs they compete against. This Vox video looks at the effect on public health that results from this advertising. Here is an example of a typical prescription drug commercial. And here is an example of a prescription drug ad that falls outside the jurisdiction of the FDA, for reasons we’ll touch on in our discussion. Join us at the next Café Inquiry Online as we look at some of the history of prescription drug marketing, regulations related to this practice , and what effect – if any – direct to consumer advertising has on healthcare spending and public health!

Café Inquiry starts with a short introduction of the day’s topic, followed by casual discussion.

This event is free and open to the public. Donations appreciated, but not expected.

Attendees are able to future propose topics which would align with Michigan Humanist’s purpose: from atheism, agnosticism, humanism, secularism, and freethinking to broader subjects in science and humanities, such as religion, philosophy, social issues, politics, evolution, morality, ethics, and psychology.

Café Inquiry (Grand Rapids) meets each month on the second and fourth Sunday.

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Michigan Humanists values the participation of all guests — requests for reasonable accommodation may be made by contacting the event host at least three days prior to the event.

Michigan Humanists expects all guests to engage in respectful discussion. Critiques on views and claims based on merit are allowed, but not attacks on individuals who hold other perspectives.

Any person engaging in disruptive behavior or harassment will be asked to leave, and may be banned from future events pending the severity of the action. Please speak to the event host or contact info@michiganhumanists.org if you feel these expectations are being violated.